


Someone's Got a Crush

by miizure



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Love Confessions, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:01:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27951212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/miizure/pseuds/miizure
Summary: Randall and Angela have a little talk about Randall's feelings towards Hershel.
Relationships: Randall Ascot/Hershel Layton
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	Someone's Got a Crush

"So. Tell me again how Hershel makes you feel."

Randall sighs, takes a deep breath, and closes his eyes, beginning his story again.

"I… I just don't get it! I used to be perfectly fine around Hershel, but then one day I noticed I started feeling… off. Every time I saw him, my chest felt tight and my body got this super warm and fuzzy feeling… And it's gotten so hard to look him in the eye! I know I struggle with that already, but now when I do, I get super shy! It's not like me! Am I sick? Is Hershel sick? Should I tell him…?"

Angela nods slowly, then smiles, confirming her suspicions with a gentle laugh. Randall froze. Why was she laughing? What did he say?

"And how exactly do you feel about Hershel?"

Randall furrows his brows and tilts his head in confusion. What kind of question was that?

"He's my best friend, obviously!" He says matter-of-factly. "We're like two peas in a pod! Nothing can separate us! I scratch his back, he scratches mine!"

Angela twirls a finger in her hair absentmindedly. Seems he misunderstood the question. "No, Randy. How do you  _ feel _ about him, outside of your friendship? What kind of person is he to you?"

"Wha…?"

Randall crossed his arms and began pacing back and forth. Of course he knew how he felt! He just… Hershel… Oh, shoot. His mind's suddenly gone blank! And he wasn't about to say whatever came to mind to Angela, no…. He'd probably say something embarrassing! And this was about  _ Hershel _ , no less… Oh, if he were here, maybe he'd have the confidence…

"Randall, it's not a hard question. Just tell me how you feel." She assures him warmly, reaching out to place a soft hand on his forearm. Randall tensed beneath her touch and looked away, struggling to find his words.

"How… I feel?"

"Yes."

"Um. Well… F-Fine, I suppose." His cheeks begin to glow the softest of pinks as he makes a bashful attempt to hide them beneath his ascot. "Hershel is… He's very nice to me. He's got such a soft voice and a calm personality— the polar opposite of me, in fact! But, he's always secretly supportive of the stuff I like, despite his protesting against it… And no, this isn't mere speculation. I know he likes archaeology. I just don't know why he's determined to hide it!"

Angela nods again. "Go on."

"Huh? U-Uh… Well, he's really smart, too, and helps me with my homework… And he gets really worried when I talk about my father to him. He always tells me that I'm welcome to say at his place if I ever needed some time away from my family, and that his parents wouldn't mind in the slightest. Gosh-- His parents! They're the sweetest things on Earth, I swear… Hersh sure is lucky to have such wonderful parents like them to raise him…"

"You're starting to get off topic, Randy. Focus on just Hershel." Angela giggles again. She's enjoying how Randall has been cleverly dodging the true meaning behind her request. For what reason would he have to be in denial? Perhaps by getting him to admit the truth…

"Off topic? What? Uhh… Okay. Hershel. Hershel… He's… He's got a really… "gentlemanly" feel to him. Like he wants to be as polite as humanly possible, and golly, do I commend him for that. I always feel like I can take on the world when I'm around him. Even when I pretend to pick a fight, he never plays rough… He's actually got really soft hands…"

_ Now we're getting somewhere, _ Angela thinks to herself, grinning wider.

"Sometimes I grab him by the hand… j-just to feel how soft it is. And he always gives me this gentle look, like he's not bothered in the tiniest bit by it. It's like he almost… I dunno,  _ wanted _ me to hold his hand? I don't understand why… And when I get up in his face, he barely flinches or moves back. He's so comfortable with… me. I feel like I can  _ truly _ be myself around him. Even when I--" He trails off, staring blankly ahead of him.

"Even when you… what?" Angela's tone changed into one with some concern. The way he spoke that last sentence felt like there was another story attached to it. Something deeper, not meant to be spoken aloud… A secret, perhaps? One to be kept between the two boys? It wasn't her place to pry, even though she was doing enough prying by getting the redhead to admit his feelings for Hershel. She had to be careful not to cross too many boundaries and scare him off while getting him to open his heart to her.

"...Nevermind. I… I just really trust him, okay? I'd trust him with my life." Randall spoke quietly, like he was afraid of anyone else hearing what he had to say.

"...And I know he trusts me too. I don't ever want to break that trust. I… I care about him too much to do that. If I were to hurt him… I'd never forgive myself. It'd absolutely  _ kill _ me to see him sad. He's just so… cheerful. That cheer is contagious to me. He never fails to make me smile, and is always there to comfort me when I'm feeling down, which feels so good… It makes me want… to spend even more time with him. I never want that feeling to stop."

"...The feeling of warm fuzziness?"

Randall's eyes widened as she spoke. The realisation had hit him head on with immense force.

"Y-Yeah! Exactly! Wait, how did you--"

"You already mentioned feeling that way around Hershel. Randy, it's really not that hard… I know exactly what's going on between you two." 

"Th-Then… What is it? Angela, please stop asking me so many questions and just tell me what's wrong with me! I trust you just as much as I trust Hershel, and you've done a marvelous job tricking our parents into thinking we're dating just to get them to leave us alone, but  _ why? _ Why won't you tell me what's going on?"

Angela giggles and takes hold of both of Randall's hands, lightly cupping them in hers as she looks up into his eyes with the brightest of smiles on her face. Randall's eyes darted around nervously 

"You're  _ in love, _ Randall."

That was enough to make the redheaded teen back away in surprise, his face turning a deep cherry red with embarrassment that couldn't be hidden by his ascot.

"M-M-Me? In love with H-Hershel? N-Nah." He drops to the ground in a crouched position, placing his hands together in front of his face and staring hard at his fingers. "I can't p-possibly be…"

Angela lowered herself down to the ground with him, unable to divert his focus away from his hands. "Randy, do you  _ really _ believe that a person can make another person sick just by being around them? What kind of sickness involves warmth in your heart and butterflies in your stomach?"

"Probably something that would kill me."

"Randall! I'm being serious."

"Sorry, Angie… I just…  _ If _ , and only if, this were true… What am I supposed to do about it?"

She pushes his hands down and holds them steady beneath her grip. "You tell him. You tell him how you feel. If you truly think he feels the same way as you, it can't hurt to try. I'll do everything in my power to support you, and keep your relationship with him a secret."

The blush has crept to his ears at this point, matching the ruddy red of his hair. He continues to stare elsewhere, not wanting to focus on Angela's face. 

"You… You'd do all that for me?"

"Of course, Randall. I want you to be happy, and I want you to be able to love who you want without being forced to. I just have one request in return."

"And that is…?"

"Tell me. I want to hear the words from your mouth, without any distractions or attempts to change the subject: Do you love Hershel?"

"I…" He shuts his eyes tight. As if on cue, a mental image of the fluffy-haired boy appeared before him. He's smiling so peacefully, waiting to hear his response. He couldn't help but think more heavily about his hair, and how soft it was, and that it always smelled so good for some reason… And his eyes, which were always impossible to read his expressions through, always had a calm glow to them, like they were constantly taking in his features and movements. When Hershel was there, Randall felt safe. He felt… loved. Respected. There was nothing to fear when he was around. And… that one time, when he revealed a darker part of himself to him, he got to feel Hershel's warm embrace, holding him so, so tightly until his anxieties and fear simply melted away, leaving him able to cry on his shoulder without being judged or perceived as weak.

Hershel made him feel strong. Protected. And he wasn't about to let that slip away from him. 

"I do. I… I do love him. I didn't think what I'd been feeling was love, but I understand now. So yes, I admit it. I'm in love with Hershel, and I believe that he feels the same."

Angela pats his shoulder and helps him rise back to his feet. Looking around, Randall touched the tips of his fingers shyly and took a deep, shaky breath. His heart felt like it was beating in his throat after confessing. But he didn't feel scared at all. He felt… comfortable. Ready to accept this feeling. Was that all he truly needed to do? Say his thoughts out loud? Perhaps he should try it more often...

"Good. Do you feel better now, having talked this out?" She asks, standing beside him.

"I feel like a massive weight has been lifted off my chest. I… I want to tell him right away, but I want to tell him when the time is right. I'll let myself decide that for me. But in the meantime… Thanks, Angie."

"You're welcome." She chuckles, lightly holding onto his arm. "We should be heading home now. It's getting late. I want you to have some time to yourself to think your plan through, and when you decide it's finally time, I'll be there."

"Y-Yeah." Randall stutters, beginning to make his way down the paved road down to their respective homes. "I'm really gonna do this…"

"I'm sure you'll be fine, Randy. I promise."

The two continued to quietly chatter amongst themselves before parting at a split in the road, leaving Randall alone with his thoughts.

_ Me… In love with Hershel. And to think, I'd been feeling this way for so long, too… I just hope… I hope he loves me too. _

He shook his head, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Stop worrying, Ascot!" He mutters out loud. "Everything will be okay. Angela said so. And I believe she's right. I think…"

He goes quiet again as a lone figure passes by. 

_ I think I might even tell him tomorrow. I want him to know how I feel. I want him to stay in my life and never leave. _

His heart pounds in his chest. The thought of having a partner— a  _ real _ one, was such an exciting thought… And with a boy, too. He never thought it'd happen, but here he was, looking forward to spending the rest of his young life with this other boy… It was a little scary, but he had the confidence he needed to tell him. As he neared his home, various fantasies played out in his mind. All involving being physically close to Hershel, holding his hands, talking about how much he cared for him, even getting even closer and possibly even allowing the boy to  _ kiss _ him… It all sounded so far-fetched, but it felt so… right. Like it was meant for them to be.

"Me and Hershel Layton…" He whispers.

_ Me and Hershel Layton. _

**Author's Note:**

> hehehehe ranlay machine go brrr
> 
> twitter: [@reiicuum](twitter.com/reiicuum)


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